Life as We Know It
By: Susan Beth Pfeffer
Doni Thomas
Reasons Why I Chose this Book:
I selected this book because I feel a connection between the main character's life and my life. Both of us feel that life is unfair towards us. The main character did not understand why her mother seemed to care more for her brother; her mother seemed to make her brother the top priority. In order for Miranda to [[#|work]] and cooperate with the family she has let go of this feeling. I can relate to this because sometimes I feel the same way.
What Category/Genre Does this Book Fit Into:
I believe this book fits into multiple categories from the realistic fiction category: Young Adult Fiction, Apocalyptic and Post-Apocalyptic Fiction, and Speculative Fiction.
The book fits into the category of Young Adult Fiction because of Miranda’s perspective on things. Young Adult Fiction is a type of book that appeals better to teens because they can relate to it better than others. She is like any other teenager: she has many mood swings, teenage angst, and always argues with her mother's decisions. For example, she meets this boy named Dan at the lake and they start having major feelings for each other. It shows that she is a normal teenager with thoughts and feelings even though the world is going to end. This is an example of the Young Adult Fiction in the book because it shows her teenage perspective and interests.
It could also fall under the Apocalyptic and Post-Apocalyptic Fiction genre because of the story line. In the story, the moon comes too close to the earth. Apocalyptic Fiction is a fiction about the end of a civilization through plague, nuclear war, cataclysmic events, and etc. In this story asteroids hit the moon and cause many natural disasters. These events are felt to be signs that the end of the world is near.
Lastly, the book also falls under the Speculative Fiction because all of the incidents are actually possible. A Speculative Fiction is a "what-If" book or a book of (a) scenario(s) that could happen. For example, the asteroids hit the moon and come to close to the earth causing cataclysmic destruction. It is after all possible for a meteor to hit the moon and cause such events. The possibility that the characters may be able to survive the entire ordeal also shows the Speculative Fiction in the story. They show strength and determination to survive which shows a possibility of surviving.
Summary/Synopsis:
The book begins by describing the main character named Miranda. She lives with her [[#|Mom]] and her brother Johnny. Her parents are divorced and her father lives in Washington with his new wife, Lisa. Her older brother's name is Matt and he is coming home to spend time with her, Johnny, and Mom. Once Matt arrives they first start hearing about the asteroids which hit the moon and sent it on a path toward the earth. Natural disasters are occurring everywhere and Mom makes Johnny, Miranda, and their neighbor Mrs. Nesbitt stock up on emergency food. Cities are destroyed by earthquakes, islands are flooded by tsunamis, volcanoes erupt everywhere, and the world turns to chaos. People are dying by the millions every day from the natural disasters, famine, or disease. Miranda sees her friends suffer and her mom is always exhausted. She does not know what to do. There are subtle signs of happiness and hope throughout. Miranda finds happiness in loving her "boyfriend" Dan. Mom finds happiness in helping Mrs. Nesbitt. Even Matt finds hope when he is able to go to the post office and receive a letter from their dad. They all work together to survive but will it be enough? Will life ever be normal again for them?
Characters:
Miranda- She is the main character and writes the entire story as a journal in her own perspective. Like any other 15 year old in high school, she is very stubborn and always wants her own way. Her escape from reality and her duties is swimming. She took up swimming because, after she got hurt skating, her mom urged her to find something else. Swimming ends up leading her to falling in love with another swimmer named Dan. Dan becomes the subject of a dream life that she wishes for. This twist also shows the normal 15 year old inside of her. She struggles with having to listen and obey her mother all the time. Towards the middle of the book she feels as if there is no chance in survival and effort is pointless. “I wonder if I'll ever have to decide which is worse, life as we're living or no life at all” - Miranda.
Matt- He is the oldest out of the children; Johnny and Miranda look up to him. The laborious work is given to him, such as chopping wood and going to town to pick up the mail. He is 22 years old and before the Catastrophe he went to school at Cornell University. Miranda sees him as her inspiration and hero; she goes to him for advice and support. He finds joy in drawing and getting letters from their father.
Mrs. Nesbitt- She is the family’s good friend and neighbor. She serves as a grandmother figure who gives advice to all who need it. She is always nice and very generous toward them, although she knows her time is at an end. She ends up sacrificing her life to give the rest of her food and resources to the family so that they can live a little while longer. To lift everyone's spirits, she also gives some very valuable things to them: she gave her grandmother's brooch to Miranda. “Cherish it Miranda, that’s a very special gift” - Mrs. Nesbitt.
Mom- She is an important part to the survival of the family. Mom cares for everyone and even sacrifices her meals to make sure her kids will live longer. She is forced to change her beliefs in order to ensure the health of her kids. She is very hostile to those she doesn't know and sharing with others is not easy for her. She and Miranda are constantly arguing over pointless things because of Mom’s stress. She cooks, cleans, washes clothes, and rations out the food to the family.
Themes and Big Ideas:
There are many different ideas and themes in this story. One important theme in this story is family love. Constantly in this book, each of the family members are making sacrifices and helping one another. Mom gives up eating certain meals so that it can be saved and eaten by the kids. Matt goes and collects firewood so the others won't have to and risks his life every day. When everyone gets sick, Miranda nurtures them back to good health. These are all examples of how all of the family members love each other and care for each other.
Another important theme in the book is struggle. Struggle can be seen throughout the book in many different ways. Miranda struggled greatly with the fact that they all helped and cared for Johnny more than themselves just because he had the best chance of living. Mom struggles with having to limit how much food each child can eat and sometimes gives in. Matt has trouble chopping wood while in the thick of the ash that surrounds him. All of these instances can be considered examples of struggle.
The last theme is man vs. nature which is present through the entire book as well. At one point all of the family except Miranda is sick and it is all up to her to help them. Water gets polluted and unhealthy to drink. Mosquito start to carry a disease which is life threatening if one gets bit. All of these are examples of how nature affects the chances of the family surviving.
Major Conflict/Problem:
One major conflict in the story is Miranda’s jealousy toward her brother, Johnny. She feels as though her mother favors him because she sent Johnny to camp where he could be safe while she had to stay home. Another example is how the mother divided the food portions and gave Johnny three meals a day while the rest of them only had one. Another time, mother lets Johnny go out and practice baseball but won’t let Miranda go and practice swimming in the pond. Miranda feels that the mother treats Johnny better; Johnny is always getting to do more than Miranda. This creates a shaky relationship between her and her mom which causes them to always argue. This also brings a lot of stress to her mom in an already difficult situation. As the story continues Miranda realizes that her mom is trying her hardest to care for everyone. Miranda also resolves her feelings toward Johnny by trying to act more like her older brother who is able to realize his position in the family.
The second conflict is between moral actions and immoral actions and how survival changes people to act against their morals. Mother changes from being a person who cares for everyone to someone who wouldn't even share her food with them. The mom also becomes very protective of her kids after the news of the chaotic events and wouldn't let them try to have a normal life. In the story, some of the parents would not let their kids attend school because they believe it may not be safe. Miranda’s mom sends them to school, but when she finds out it is a waste of time, she decides to home-school them. Hungry people even resort to eating things they wouldn't usually eat, such as household pets. When Miranda loses their dog she feels that someone might have eaten it which makes her scared. All of these examples show how this catastrophe changed the lives of normal people and made them resort to their more primitive ways. This scared all of them because they knew they had all changed; they had lost the moral war and were now in a state of chaos.
Symbolic Image:
I chose this symbol because it is a picture of the meteors which hit the moon and sent it on a path toward the earth. It to me represents the dawn of an apocalypse leading to cataclysmic events that occurred on the earth and the main conflict in the story. The possibility of it actually happening is not impossible but highly unlikely. I chose this picture because I knew I could make a good drawing of it. I also chose it because it to me defines the book for what it is. For example without the meteors hitting the moon and causing it to come to earth there wouldn't be a story.
New/ Unusual words:
1. Shamefaced- to be embarrassed or upset because of something "We tried to look shamefaced. Bad us for not doing algebra when the world is coming to an end."
2. Reshuffling- to reset an order or to set a system up "We need to start the reshuffling of the eating schedule."
3. Cornish Hen- a type of hen that is caught as game "After Thanksgiving dinner celebration. A feast of one leg and two bites of thigh off of a Cornish hen."
4. Irate- an angry or cynical mood "It was all caused by the irate attitude which I had."
5. Shriveling- decaying, shrinking, and contracting due to lack of moisture "I feel myself shriveling along with my world, getting smaller and harder."
Existing works similar to my book:
The themes present in Life as We Knew It can be found in other works such as the Bible, the movie 2012, The Hunger Games, and the song “We are Family” by Sister Sledge. The Bible has many themes in common to Life as We Knew It. One theme in common is jealousy. Just as in Life as We Knew It, Miranda was jealous of how her brother was treated, so also in the Bible story “The Prodigal Son”, one of the brothers is jealous of the other because he because he believes that he is treated differently. Life as We Knew It and the movie 2012 both had an apocalyptic theme throughout. One similarity between the apocalypses in Life as We Knew It and 2012 was the natural disasters which occurred. Both had earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcano eruptions. Another theme that can be found in other works was the struggle to survive and evade death. In Life as We Knew It, the entire family had to work together to survive. The Hunger Games is a good example of a book with similar themes: both of the main characters (Peter and Katniss) are forced to overcome their differences and work together to survive. The last theme is family love. In Life as We Knew It the family was very loving and caring and this can be seen by the way they shared, cared about each other, and protected each other. The song, “We Are Family” by Sister Sledge, illustrates the family theme because it talks about loving and caring one another. The phrase, “…we fly like birds of a feather” is a good example.
By: Susan Beth Pfeffer
Doni Thomas
Reasons Why I Chose this Book:
I selected this book because I feel a connection between the main character's life and my life. Both of us feel that life is unfair towards us. The main character did not understand why her mother seemed to care more for her brother; her mother seemed to make her brother the top priority. In order for Miranda to [[#|work]] and cooperate with the family she has let go of this feeling. I can relate to this because sometimes I feel the same way.
What Category/Genre Does this Book Fit Into:
I believe this book fits into multiple categories from the realistic fiction category: Young Adult Fiction, Apocalyptic and Post-Apocalyptic Fiction, and Speculative Fiction.
The book fits into the category of Young Adult Fiction because of Miranda’s perspective on things. Young Adult Fiction is a type of book that appeals better to teens because they can relate to it better than others. She is like any other teenager: she has many mood swings, teenage angst, and always argues with her mother's decisions. For example, she meets this boy named Dan at the lake and they start having major feelings for each other. It shows that she is a normal teenager with thoughts and feelings even though the world is going to end. This is an example of the Young Adult Fiction in the book because it shows her teenage perspective and interests.
It could also fall under the Apocalyptic and Post-Apocalyptic Fiction genre because of the story line. In the story, the moon comes too close to the earth. Apocalyptic Fiction is a fiction about the end of a civilization through plague, nuclear war, cataclysmic events, and etc. In this story asteroids hit the moon and cause many natural disasters. These events are felt to be signs that the end of the world is near.
Lastly, the book also falls under the Speculative Fiction because all of the incidents are actually possible. A Speculative Fiction is a "what-If" book or a book of (a) scenario(s) that could happen. For example, the asteroids hit the moon and come to close to the earth causing cataclysmic destruction. It is after all possible for a meteor to hit the moon and cause such events. The possibility that the characters may be able to survive the entire ordeal also shows the Speculative Fiction in the story. They show strength and determination to survive which shows a possibility of surviving.
Summary/Synopsis:
The book begins by describing the main character named Miranda. She lives with her [[#|Mom]] and her brother Johnny. Her parents are divorced and her father lives in Washington with his new wife, Lisa. Her older brother's name is Matt and he is coming home to spend time with her, Johnny, and Mom. Once Matt arrives they first start hearing about the asteroids which hit the moon and sent it on a path toward the earth. Natural disasters are occurring everywhere and Mom makes Johnny, Miranda, and their neighbor Mrs. Nesbitt stock up on emergency food. Cities are destroyed by earthquakes, islands are flooded by tsunamis, volcanoes erupt everywhere, and the world turns to chaos. People are dying by the millions every day from the natural disasters, famine, or disease. Miranda sees her friends suffer and her mom is always exhausted. She does not know what to do. There are subtle signs of happiness and hope throughout. Miranda finds happiness in loving her "boyfriend" Dan. Mom finds happiness in helping Mrs. Nesbitt. Even Matt finds hope when he is able to go to the post office and receive a letter from their dad. They all work together to survive but will it be enough? Will life ever be normal again for them?
Characters:
Miranda- She is the main character and writes the entire story as a journal in her own perspective. Like any other 15 year old in high school, she is very stubborn and always wants her own way. Her escape from reality and her duties is swimming. She took up swimming because, after she got hurt skating, her mom urged her to find something else. Swimming ends up leading her to falling in love with another swimmer named Dan. Dan becomes the subject of a dream life that she wishes for. This twist also shows the normal 15 year old inside of her. She struggles with having to listen and obey her mother all the time. Towards the middle of the book she feels as if there is no chance in survival and effort is pointless. “I wonder if I'll ever have to decide which is worse, life as we're living or no life at all” - Miranda.
Matt- He is the oldest out of the children; Johnny and Miranda look up to him. The laborious work is given to him, such as chopping wood and going to town to pick up the mail. He is 22 years old and before the Catastrophe he went to school at Cornell University. Miranda sees him as her inspiration and hero; she goes to him for advice and support. He finds joy in drawing and getting letters from their father.
Mrs. Nesbitt- She is the family’s good friend and neighbor. She serves as a grandmother figure who gives advice to all who need it. She is always nice and very generous toward them, although she knows her time is at an end. She ends up sacrificing her life to give the rest of her food and resources to the family so that they can live a little while longer. To lift everyone's spirits, she also gives some very valuable things to them: she gave her grandmother's brooch to Miranda. “Cherish it Miranda, that’s a very special gift” - Mrs. Nesbitt.
Mom- She is an important part to the survival of the family. Mom cares for everyone and even sacrifices her meals to make sure her kids will live longer. She is forced to change her beliefs in order to ensure the health of her kids. She is very hostile to those she doesn't know and sharing with others is not easy for her. She and Miranda are constantly arguing over pointless things because of Mom’s stress. She cooks, cleans, washes clothes, and rations out the food to the family.
Themes and Big Ideas:
There are many different ideas and themes in this story. One important theme in this story is family love. Constantly in this book, each of the family members are making sacrifices and helping one another. Mom gives up eating certain meals so that it can be saved and eaten by the kids. Matt goes and collects firewood so the others won't have to and risks his life every day. When everyone gets sick, Miranda nurtures them back to good health. These are all examples of how all of the family members love each other and care for each other.
Another important theme in the book is struggle. Struggle can be seen throughout the book in many different ways. Miranda struggled greatly with the fact that they all helped and cared for Johnny more than themselves just because he had the best chance of living. Mom struggles with having to limit how much food each child can eat and sometimes gives in. Matt has trouble chopping wood while in the thick of the ash that surrounds him. All of these instances can be considered examples of struggle.
The last theme is man vs. nature which is present through the entire book as well. At one point all of the family except Miranda is sick and it is all up to her to help them. Water gets polluted and unhealthy to drink. Mosquito start to carry a disease which is life threatening if one gets bit. All of these are examples of how nature affects the chances of the family surviving.
Major Conflict/Problem:
One major conflict in the story is Miranda’s jealousy toward her brother, Johnny. She feels as though her mother favors him because she sent Johnny to camp where he could be safe while she had to stay home. Another example is how the mother divided the food portions and gave Johnny three meals a day while the rest of them only had one. Another time, mother lets Johnny go out and practice baseball but won’t let Miranda go and practice swimming in the pond. Miranda feels that the mother treats Johnny better; Johnny is always getting to do more than Miranda. This creates a shaky relationship between her and her mom which causes them to always argue. This also brings a lot of stress to her mom in an already difficult situation. As the story continues Miranda realizes that her mom is trying her hardest to care for everyone. Miranda also resolves her feelings toward Johnny by trying to act more like her older brother who is able to realize his position in the family.
The second conflict is between moral actions and immoral actions and how survival changes people to act against their morals. Mother changes from being a person who cares for everyone to someone who wouldn't even share her food with them. The mom also becomes very protective of her kids after the news of the chaotic events and wouldn't let them try to have a normal life. In the story, some of the parents would not let their kids attend school because they believe it may not be safe. Miranda’s mom sends them to school, but when she finds out it is a waste of time, she decides to home-school them. Hungry people even resort to eating things they wouldn't usually eat, such as household pets. When Miranda loses their dog she feels that someone might have eaten it which makes her scared. All of these examples show how this catastrophe changed the lives of normal people and made them resort to their more primitive ways. This scared all of them because they knew they had all changed; they had lost the moral war and were now in a state of chaos.
Symbolic Image:
I chose this symbol because it is a picture of the meteors which hit the moon and sent it on a path toward the earth. It to me represents the dawn of an apocalypse leading to cataclysmic events that occurred on the earth and the main conflict in the story. The possibility of it actually happening is not impossible but highly unlikely. I chose this picture because I knew I could make a good drawing of it. I also chose it because it to me defines the book for what it is. For example without the meteors hitting the moon and causing it to come to earth there wouldn't be a story.
New/ Unusual words:
1. Shamefaced- to be embarrassed or upset because of something "We tried to look shamefaced. Bad us for not doing algebra when the world is coming to an end."
2. Reshuffling- to reset an order or to set a system up "We need to start the reshuffling of the eating schedule."
3. Cornish Hen- a type of hen that is caught as game "After Thanksgiving dinner celebration. A feast of one leg and two bites of thigh off of a Cornish hen."
4. Irate- an angry or cynical mood "It was all caused by the irate attitude which I had."
5. Shriveling- decaying, shrinking, and contracting due to lack of moisture "I feel myself shriveling along with my world, getting smaller and harder."
Existing works similar to my book:
The themes present in Life as We Knew It can be found in other works such as the Bible, the movie 2012, The Hunger Games, and the song “We are Family” by Sister Sledge. The Bible has many themes in common to Life as We Knew It. One theme in common is jealousy. Just as in Life as We Knew It, Miranda was jealous of how her brother was treated, so also in the Bible story “The Prodigal Son”, one of the brothers is jealous of the other because he because he believes that he is treated differently. Life as We Knew It and the movie 2012 both had an apocalyptic theme throughout. One similarity between the apocalypses in Life as We Knew It and 2012 was the natural disasters which occurred. Both had earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcano eruptions. Another theme that can be found in other works was the struggle to survive and evade death. In Life as We Knew It, the entire family had to work together to survive. The Hunger Games is a good example of a book with similar themes: both of the main characters (Peter and Katniss) are forced to overcome their differences and work together to survive. The last theme is family love. In Life as We Knew It the family was very loving and caring and this can be seen by the way they shared, cared about each other, and protected each other. The song, “We Are Family” by Sister Sledge, illustrates the family theme because it talks about loving and caring one another. The phrase, “…we fly like birds of a feather” is a good example.
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/429663027